Page 5 of Mad Dragon of Chaos

“I’ve watched you drop a sandwich while eating it,” Adrian teased.

Drayce lifted a hand from the steering wheel and gave Adrian the bird over his shoulder. “Whatever. I’m not dropping Cael. He’s more important than a sandwich.”

“We were tempted to meet you at sea and fly you here by dragon, but the storms were so bad between the island and Caspagir, we were afraid to risk it,” Caelan continued as if his two guards weren’t bickering.

Tyche dropped his face into his hands. “That was probably my fault, too.”

“Really?” Caelan turned in his seat so he could more easily peer between the front seats and looked at Tyche. “How’s that?”

A weary sigh drifted from Tyche, and he dropped his hands to look at Caelan. “Kaes popped into Bellcairn to stir the pot because, you know, an insane enraged goddess and a pissed-off dragon aren’t trouble enough. I might have told Kaes off because I was at my wit’s end. He left after that, but I feel like he brewed up those storms to test Shey and torment me.”

Caelan’s pale-blue gaze fell on Shey, and he could feel the calculating weight behind that stare. But to his credit, Caelan didn’t ask any probing questions. He let it go and turned to face forward, allowing Shey to release a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

It was weird to think that he was at least seven years Caelan’s senior and had more experience ruling, but there was a new weight to Caelan’s eyes and demeanor as if he were now the older of the two of them. He couldn’t guess what he’d gone through during his long journey across Thia to stop the Goddess of the Hunt.

Maybe he should stop worrying so much about the fact that Caelan was a god and the king of Erya, and start thinking of him as a resource. Who else was he going to ask about handling Kaes? Of course, Tyche was an option, but it seemed like Tyche’s first choice was to tell Kaes off and suffer the consequences later. Shey was hoping to minimize consequences.

For now, he was simply content to peer out the window as they rode down the smooth, winding roads through thick forests. Occasionally, they would spot narrow roads that would shoot off, turning to gravel. He’d get hints of stone walls, but he’d seen no dragons other than Drayce.

“If you don’t mind my asking, how many dragons live on the Isle of Stone?” Shey inquired as he glimpsed another gravel drive.

“Nothing like what you’d see in Sirelis or Stormbreak,” Drayce admitted. “Dragons are incredibly long-lived, which means we don’t have a lot of kids. The Omari Clan is one of the largest clans, and it has fewer than three hundred dragons. The Ito Clan might be the next biggest with about two hundred. Those roads you’ve been seeing are for smaller clan residences for the Omari clan. This is all Omari territory here.”

“Dragons are incredibly territorial,” Adrian chimed in. “It would be at least a twenty-minute drive to a different clan. If they are in a hurry, a dragon will fly. If not, they take care to arrive in regal fashion.”

Shey huffed. “That sounds like something Haru would say.”

Adrian flashed him a crooked grin. “Who do you think told me that?”

“Good point.”

The royal guard appeared more at ease now that they were on the Isle of Stone and headed to meet with the Omari Clan. He was a step closer to seeing Haru. It also didn’t hurt that he’d gotten reassurances from Caelan, who had seen Haru recently. But nothing was going to take away that low thrum of tension until Adrian finally got to see Haru with his own eyes; Shey was sure of it.

At last, they pulled up to a set of large wooden gate doors that stretched across the gravel road. Drayce had barely slowed the vehicle to a stop when the doors swung open and the sight of more men in elegant white robes with long dark hair, just like Haru, greeted them. Unlike Haru, though, none of them seemed to possess willowy grace or a devilish grin. Haru was still one of a kind.

As they climbed out of the vehicle, several members of the Omari Clan hung back to look at the newest arrivals. At least until Adrian stepped out of the SUV. Faces instantly brightened, and people rushed over to offer him hugs and pats on the shoulder, greeting him like an old friend. The smile that rose on Adrian’s face was genuine at last, and the tightness in his shoulders released, allowing them to ease lower.

While well-wishers mobbed Adrian, Shey paused to take in the grounds surrounded by a stone wall. The gardens were a breathtaking dream, unlike anything he’d ever seen. Trees with feathery leaves and ornate stone gardens surrounded astounding wooden and stone buildings that were connected through a series of winding, roofed porches and paths, creating yet more secret gardens and courtyards. From the eaves hung stunning lanterns and tiny bells that tinkled in the breeze. He ached to wander the grounds and explore all the hidden nooks.

After a few moments, an older man with snowy white hair and long white robes stepped out of the building. There was a stern-faced woman on his right and another younger-appearing woman on his left. The man was likely to be clan leader Omari Nori. Were the two women a wife and a daughter?

“Ah, Cael, you’ve returned,” the man said with a happy sigh. He waved his hand toward Caelan, completely ignoring the king’s attempt to bow to him and urging him close. Caelan smirked and hurried to take the older gentleman’s hand. He assisted him down the three steps, though it didn’t appear as if he needed the help. Despite his obvious years, he was still spry.

“I have brought your newest guests to you,” Caelan replied. “I would like to introduce Crown Prince Shey Thrudesh-Vo of Caspagir. This is Tyche, the⁠—”

Tyche cleared his throat loudly, cutting off Caelan. “A friend. A friend of Prince Shey.”

Caelan’s lips twitched, and Nori arched a bushy gray eyebrow. No one was fooled. Haru had taken one look at Tyche and known he was a god. Shey had no doubt that Nori had done the same thing.

“And I’m sure you remember my personal guard, Adrian Westergren,” Caelan continued without missing a beat.

Adrian stepped up, clasped his hands together in front of him, forming a circle with his arms, and bowed deeply. “It is an honor to see you, Omari Nori. Thank you for the warm welcome from you and your clan.”

Shey immediately copied Adrian’s motions and bowed as well. Tyche did too, though he might have also taken the opportunity to step back, half hiding behind Shey. Not that Shey minded. He was happy to provide a shield for Tyche until he grew more comfortable in his surroundings.

Nori’s face split into a wide grin at Adrian. “I knew you would return. I am glad, though, it wasn’t because Haru had kidnapped you.” He turned his attention to Shey, and his expression grew a little more reserved. “It is our honor to have a member of the Caspagir royal family visiting us. We hope we can make you feel at peace during your stay with us.”

He turned slightly and motioned to the two women who’d accompanied him. They stepped forward. “This is my chief advisor and Haru’s older sister, Omari Megumi.”